Hyderabad, Jul 18 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday urged his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu to cooperate in completing irrigation projects in the state as the two states share river waters.
Addressing a public meeting after attending various development programmes in Nagarkurnool district, the CM said he knows how to fight to safeguard the state’s rights if cooperation from Naidu is not forthcoming.
Observing that some of the projects in undivided Mahabubnagar district (of which Nagarkurnool was a part) like Bhima and Nettempadu were started when Naidu was the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Reddy asked how far it is justified for the TDP supremo to raise objections to those projects now.
The CM, who described Naidu as a leader with wisdom, urged that Andhra should not raise objections to the Palamuru- Ranga Reddy lift irrigation, Dindi, Kalwakurthy and other projects in Telangana.
“I am appealing to Chandrababu Naidu ji. Please show your liberal attitude by cancelling the Rayalaseema lift irrigation which transfers three TMC water per day (from Krishna river),” he said.
If Naidu is indeed in favour of development of both Telugu-speaking states, he should cancel the Rayalaseema lift irrigation project of Andhra and also cooperate for the completion of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme and other projects in Telangana, Reddy said.
Telangana has recently objected to the Polavaram (Godavari)-Banakacharla Link Project (PBLP) proposed by Andhra Pradesh.
The Centre on July 16 decided to constitute a high-level technical committee within a week to examine concerns around the PBLP and other pending inter-state water issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The move followed a high-level meeting chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil with both Chief Ministers — Chandrababu Naidu and Revanth Reddy – in attendance.
At the public meeting, Reddy also expressed confidence that he would be the chief minister for 10 years from December, 2023 (when assumed office) to 2034.
Reddy, who hit out at former CM and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for allegedly neglecting projects in Mahabubnagar district, said, “You (Rao) may feel sad (due to Reddy continuing in office), jump in a well or burn yourself with petrol, it is up to you”.
He recalled that the TDP and Congress in undivided Andhra Pradesh and later BRS in Telangana were in power for 10 years each.
The CM said he will take the responsibility to complete the projects which were left incomplete by Rao despite being in power for 10 years. PTI SJR SJR KH
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